Foundation earns nomination for the fifth time in its history, recognizing P.L.A.Y.S. Program impact across Chicago
CHICAGO (Sept. 16. 2026) — Chicago Fire FC announced today that the Chicago Fire Foundation was named a finalist for the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s 2026 Citizens Awards, a long-standing program that honors purpose-driven businesses for their leadership in solving the world's biggest challenges. The Foundation is a finalist for the “Best Community Improvement Program” award for its work through the P.L.A.Y.S. (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth, Soccer) Program.
For more than two decades, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce Foundation’s Citizens Awards have recognized the best in corporate citizenship and highlighted how businesses of all sizes are serving as a force for good. The annual awards program has recognized the most innovative and impactful corporate citizenship initiatives that leverage a company's talent, resources, and expertise to improve communities.
Across the Chicago Fire FC organization, giving back to the community is a core pillar in measuring the team’s success. The Chicago Fire Foundation works with organizations, businesses, government officials, and entities to create sustainable and impactful programs that respond to the needs of its community. Since its launch in 2013, the Foundation’s proprietary P.L.A.Y.S. (Participate, Learn, Achieve, Youth, Soccer) Program has seen more than 500,000 hours of soccer played by more than 10,000 youth, supporting students’ academic achievement, social-emotional development, and overall well-being across Chicago Public Schools. In 2026, the program served more than 1,600 youth through a soccer and social-emotional learning curriculum that helps students build confidence, strengthen teamwork, and develop skills that carry from the field into the classroom. P.L.A.Y.S. continues to deliver impact across Chicago’s youth, with 93% of parents reporting that P.L.A.Y.S. had a positive impact on their child’s behavior at home.
The Chicago Fire Foundation is continuing to scale the P.L.A.Y.S. Program through sustainable, data-driven growth, and a newly announced multiyear partnership with McDonald's will significantly expand the program’s reach from 70 to more than 280 Chicago Public Schools and from 31,000 youth to more than 125,000 youth over time. Ongoing evaluation will guide improvements to curriculum delivery, coach training, social-emotional learning integration, and resource distribution, including removing barriers to participation for under-resourced schools.
The winners of the 2026 Citizens Awards will be announced during the U.S. Chamber Foundation's Business Solves Conference on October 27-28, 2026. Learn more about the awards program and finalists here.
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About Chicago Fire Football Club
Chicago Fire Football Club (Chicago Fire FC) is a professional soccer club that competes in Major League Soccer (MLS). One of the league’s first expansion teams – founded on Oct. 8, 1997 (the 126th anniversary of the Great Chicago Fire) – the Club has earned six major domestic trophies, including four U.S. Open Cups and the 2003 Supporters’ Shield, and returned to the playoffs in 2025, winning its first postseason match since 2009.
The Club recently began construction on its privately-funded, soccer-specific stadium, McDonald’s Park, in Chicago’s South Loop neighborhood, a transformational new home set to open in 2028. The team currently plays at historic Soldier Field and trains at Chicago’s Endeavor Health Performance Center, a $100 million state-of-the-art facility that opened in 2025.
The Club’s development pathway includes Chicago Fire II, which competes in MLS NEXT Pro, and the Chicago Fire Academy, featuring five teams from U-13 to U-18. Off the field, the Chicago Fire Foundation – internationally recognized, including as ESPN’s 2019 Sports Humanitarian Team of the Year – has made significant contributions to enhance the lives of disadvantaged youth throughout Chicagoland, providing more than $10 million back to the community. For more information, visit chicagofirefc.com.
